Monday Fun-day!

Sara with Belinda

Yesterday we took the day to explore the area, go to a nice restaurant in Port Au Prince where we were treated to french fries, ice cream, and coca cola. We then spent hours bargaining with vendors for street art, and dining on my favorite for dinner, pumpkin soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Wow, doesn't sound like we're roughin' it yet, huh?


 Monday began with another call of the rooster, and another fight to the "shower". Then after breakfast, it was time to feed the children. The majority of the children are in wheel-chairs, most have severe mental challenges, but all have the ability to look you in the eyes, and grab you with their infectious laughter or other sounds of joyful appreciation.

Choupy with Lazaar and me

I had the opportunity to shadow the Occupational Therapist yesterday, Choupy. He pulls 1-2 kids out of their regular classes at a time, and gives them each personalized attention to increase their hand/muscle coordination. The first was Steve. Since arrival, Steve was one of the first to get my attention because he is never seen without a smile, his laugh is infectious, and not confined to a wheelchair, Steve loves our dance parties. Choupy was challenging Steve to button up a shirt, and tie shoe laces. God bless him I've never seen anyone concentrate so hard, get so frustrated, yet keep smiling so big. Choupy's patience conveys to me they've probably been working on this task for a few monthes now.

Throughout the day, the levels of ability were way much less: cases of cerebral palsy where the most you could do was squish play-dough between their hands, and massage out the stiffness in their joints. Choupy spoke English very well. He inquired of me how one gets a scholarship to study in the states, how much it costs to buy a car, and what college was like. I would like to help him at least research different scholarship opportunities, but one of the leaders on my trip told me I must be cautious that Haiti can't afford to lose it's trained native medical professionals to the states, or it would suffer greatly.

I also had the privilege of meeting Soni, he was the original disabled orphan, who learned to walk, and eventually became an integral part of the St. Joseph's boys dance team, who travel on tours in the states. He has become so high-functioning, and such a great example of what these kids could eventually become, he is now one of the many caring teachers in the school, as well as the celebrity who had a children's book published about himself. We joke that we are ice-cream twins...he is chocolate, I am vanilla. Inside humor I suppose?

After classes, and the very difficult task of feeding a girl who doesn't quite have the use of her tongue rice and beans for lunch, I volunteered to wash their dishes with some of the boys who are paid "allowance" to do this chore. I practiced my creole more: pwop-clean, sal- dirty. Travay- work, Jwe- play. Easy enough. However, pulling water from a 15-foot deep basin in the side of the house, using a fraying rope tied to a bucket was not so easy. I wonder how many people have fallen in, and who might still be down there.

After my chore, I brought over my "boom-boom" aka. ipod and travel speakers, where the dance party began. I am still worn out from all that dancing and shaking...phew! Later in the afternoon were more classes, where I assisted Josephine, an 11 year old very intelligent, bi-lingual little girl, in pulling herself up 2 stories worth of stairs. She is learning to walk, and I really believe she may be independent of the orphanage one day, where she will live out her hopes as a famous singer.

 I have already monopolized the computer for far too long, so off I'll go to another day, with many more challenges, and I already think it's going to be a hot one, but no where near the 90 degree heat wave your experiencing at home, I'm sure! Love and good thoughts, wish me luck as I attempt another battle for the "shower"!